Rastriya Janashakti Party
Encyclopedia
Rastriya Janashakti Party is a liberal
political party
in Nepal
, led by former Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa
. Thapa had split away from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party in November 2004. The party is registered with the Election Commission of Nepal
in March 2005.
is the vice chairman of the party.
, Hari Bahadur Basnet
, Sarvendra Nath Sukla and Renu Kumari Yadav
.
Kamal Thapa left the committee in January 2005.
RJP boycotted the 2006 municipal election.
During the Loktantra Andolan, the RJP suggested that the King Gyanendra would initiate talks with 'constitutional forces'.
When the King was stripped of his political powers by the interim parliament
, RJP did not object.
, RJP had proposed having a mixed election system, with 75 district
representatives and 230 members elected through proportional representation
. The party also proposed constituting an 'Ethnic Assembly' as the upper house of parliament.
In April 2007, the party dropped the term 'constitutional monarchy' from its party statue.
On February 15, 2008, RJP formed the Samyukta Samabeshi Morcha
, a front of 'monarchist and democratic forces', along with Nepali Rastriya Janabhavana Party
, Rastriya Janamukti Party
and Rastriya Jana Ekta Party
. The front favours ceremonial monarchy.
On February 19, 2008, RJP had called for an election boycott, claiming that the situation in Madhes made elections impossible to hold. After an agreement was reached between United Democratic Madhesi Front
and the Government of Nepal on February 27, 2008, and the UDMF parties pledge to contest the CA polls, the RJP declared that it would participate as well.
On March 6, 2008, Thapa declared that his party was not monarchist
, but would accept the verdict of the voters. RJP MPs had previously boycotted a vote in the interim parliament on making Nepal a republic
. Thapa had dubbed the vote 'an attack on the fundamental norms of democracy'.
At the elections to the Constituent Assembly
, the RJP received 79,925 votes (0.77%) in the constituency vote, winning no seats. With 102,147 votes (0.95%) in the party list vote the RJP won three seats to the Assembly.
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, led by former Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa
Surya Bahadur Thapa
Surya Bahadur Thapa has been Prime Minister of Nepal five times, under three different kings, in a political career lasting nearly 50 years. His terms were 1963-64, 1965–69, 1979–83, 1997–98 and 2003-04....
. Thapa had split away from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party in November 2004. The party is registered with the Election Commission of Nepal
Election Commission of Nepal
The Election Commission of Nepal is the body responsible for monitoring elections, as well as registering parties and candidates and reporting election outcomes, in Nepal. It was born out of the 1950 revolution in Nepal, and was established in law in 1951, although it has been changed somewhat by...
in March 2005.
Leadership
The party is led by a Central Working Committee. Thapa is the chairman of the party. Prakash Chandra LohaniPrakash Chandra Lohani
Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani is a Nepalese politician, economist, and co-president and head of the parliamentary department of Rastriya Janashakti Party ....
is the vice chairman of the party.
Split from RPP
RJP emerged out of a split in the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, as Thapa left RPP on November 4, 2004. Thapa had been a founder of RPP in 1990. On November 19, 2004, Thapa and his followers opened a 'contact office' in Balutwar, Kathmandu, to organise a broad political conference and coordinate the construction of a new party. On December 27, 2004 the group formed a 320-member organising committee for the holding of the conference of the new party. Thapa was chairman of the committee, Lohani vice chairman and Buddhiman Tamang secretary. Other prominent members of the committee were Kamal ThapaKamal Thapa
Kamal Thapa is the current president of Nepal's only royalist party, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal. He served as a Home Minister during King Gyanendra's direct rule in 2006 until the king was forced to handover power to Gerija Prasad Koirala of the Nepali Congress Party and his allies with...
, Hari Bahadur Basnet
Hari Bahadur Basnet
Hari Bahadur Basnet is a Nepalese politician. He is the head of the Foreign Relations Department of the Rastriya Janashakti Party. Basnet holds a M.Sc. in Engineering....
, Sarvendra Nath Sukla and Renu Kumari Yadav
Renu Kumari Yadav
Renu Kumari Yadav is a Nepalese politician, belonging to the Ahir community, who is currently Minister of Education. She is a member of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum....
.
Kamal Thapa left the committee in January 2005.
Foundation
The RJP was founded on March 13, 2005. The 'broad political conference' was, however, postponed due to the imposition of Emergency rule by King Gyanendra on February 1, 2005.2005-2006 coup and revolt
RJP had expressed differences with King Gyanendra after the February 1, 2005 coup, over issues like political appointments in the local administrations. RJP accused the King of eliminating the forces working for constitutional monarchy, through his political actions. At the time, RJP tried to profile itself as a centrist party, in between positions advocating direct monarchical rule and republic.RJP boycotted the 2006 municipal election.
During the Loktantra Andolan, the RJP suggested that the King Gyanendra would initiate talks with 'constitutional forces'.
When the King was stripped of his political powers by the interim parliament
Interim legislature of Nepal
On January 15, 2007 the Pratinidhi Sabha, the legislature of Nepal, was dissolved and a new Interim legislature was formed. The old parliament was elected in 1999...
, RJP did not object.
Merger
In November 2006, the Prajatantrik Nepal Party led by Keshar Bahadur Bista merged into RJP. Bista became general secretary of RJP.2008 election
Ahead of the Constituent Assembly electionNepalese Constituent Assembly election, 2008
A general election for the Constituent Assembly was held in Nepal on 10 April 2008 after having been postponed from earlier dates of 7 June 2007 and 22 November 2007. The Nepalese Constituent Assembly will draft a new constitution; it will therefore decide, amongst other things, on the issue of...
, RJP had proposed having a mixed election system, with 75 district
Districts of Nepal
Nepal's 14 administrative zones are subdivided into 75 districts . These districts are listed below, by zone...
representatives and 230 members elected through proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
. The party also proposed constituting an 'Ethnic Assembly' as the upper house of parliament.
In April 2007, the party dropped the term 'constitutional monarchy' from its party statue.
On February 15, 2008, RJP formed the Samyukta Samabeshi Morcha
Samyukta Samabeshi Morcha
Samyukta Samabeshi Morcha is a coalition of political parties formed ahead of the 2008 Constituent Assembly election in Nepal. The coalition comprises the Rastriya Janshakti Party, Nepali Rastriya Janabhavana Party, Rastriya Janamukti Party and Rastriya Jana Ekta Party.The front has presented a...
, a front of 'monarchist and democratic forces', along with Nepali Rastriya Janabhavana Party
Nepali Rastriya Janabhavana Party
Nepali Rastriya Janabhavana Party is a political party in Nepal. The party is registered with the Election Commission of Nepal ahead of the 2008 Constituent Assembly election.The party forms part of the Samyukta Samabeshi Morcha....
, Rastriya Janamukti Party
Rastriya Janamukti Party
Rastriya Janamukti Party is a political party in Nepal. The party was formed in 1990 by the Janjati leader , M. S. Thapa Magar and Gore Bahadur Khapangi as the Nepal Rastriya Janamukti Morcha , following the Jana Andolan...
and Rastriya Jana Ekta Party
Rastriya Jana Ekta Party
Rastriya Jana Ekta Party is a political party in Nepal. The party is registered with the Election Commission of Nepal ahead of the 2008 Constituent Assembly election....
. The front favours ceremonial monarchy.
On February 19, 2008, RJP had called for an election boycott, claiming that the situation in Madhes made elections impossible to hold. After an agreement was reached between United Democratic Madhesi Front
United Democratic Madhesi Front
United Democratic Madhesi Front is a political coalition in Nepal, constituted of three Madhesh-based political parties;*Sadbhavana Party*Tarai-Madhesh Loktantrik Party*Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum, Nepal...
and the Government of Nepal on February 27, 2008, and the UDMF parties pledge to contest the CA polls, the RJP declared that it would participate as well.
On March 6, 2008, Thapa declared that his party was not monarchist
Monarchism
Monarchism is the advocacy of the establishment, preservation, or restoration of a monarchy as a form of government in a nation. A monarchist is an individual who supports this form of government out of principle, independent from the person, the Monarch.In this system, the Monarch may be the...
, but would accept the verdict of the voters. RJP MPs had previously boycotted a vote in the interim parliament on making Nepal a republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
. Thapa had dubbed the vote 'an attack on the fundamental norms of democracy'.
At the elections to the Constituent Assembly
Nepalese Constituent Assembly
The Nepalese Constituent Assembly is a unicameral body of 601 members formed as a result of the Constituent Assembly election that was held on April 10, 2008. The Constituent Assembly is tasked with writing a new constitution, and it will act as the interim legislature for a term of two years...
, the RJP received 79,925 votes (0.77%) in the constituency vote, winning no seats. With 102,147 votes (0.95%) in the party list vote the RJP won three seats to the Assembly.